Fall 2021

New Exhibit Opens!

The William B. Pollock Company: Advancements in the Art of Iron and Steel, 120 Years of Service to Industry, 1860-1983

Opening to the public on August 19, this exhibit, created by Dr. John Liana, focuses on the history, products and people who made the William B. Pollock Company renowned for its “outstanding reputation for excellence and innovation in blast furnace design and construction.” The company began as a boiler shop and later went on to produce cinder cars, ladles, and ladle cars for the steel industry. When the steel mills began closing in 1977, it affected the company, which built its final ladle for a Basic Oxygen Furnace in December of 1983. Artwork displayed in the Harry Meshel Classroom showcases some of the ways Pollock Company products were used in the mills. The William B. Pollock II and Kathryn Challis Pollock Foundation, The William B. Pollock Company Foundation, and Roberta Hannay made this exhibit possible. To access the supplemental digital exhibit visit www.youngstownohiosteelmuseum.org/exhibits-and-projects

Meet "Angelo" by Jacob Harver
Embodying Youngstown's interconnection of culture, history, and industry, Trinity Highway Products recently donated this sculpture to the museum. It was made there (originally Syro Steel) in 1972 by industrial engineer Anthony E. Bizzarri (1924-1994). Officially titled “Last Man after Pollution,” it was created for a steel sculpture contest held by the major steel companies in the Mahoning Valley in conjunction with the Butler Institute of American Art. Syro Steel properties were sold earlier this summer.

• Welded sculpture of various steel shapes and plates.
• Sculpture was hot dipped galvanized at the Syro factory.
• Height is about 5’-1”
• Weight is about 350 pounds.

Intern News...

The museum was fortunate to have two interns working here over the summer. Jacob Harver, Graduate Student and Christopher Gillett, Undergraduate Student spent the summer researching, writing, and helping out with various projects. Harver worked on Mahoning Movement, a history and interpreted active transportation advocacy project. Gillett assisted archivist Martha Bishop with barcoding and scanning to enhance the catalog records and make more of YHCIL's collection available for online searches. He also compiled research and contributed to the script for a digital exhibit on Steel Mills in the 1960s Mahoning Valley.

Museum Graduate Assistant Interns Brooke Bobovnyik and Hannah Klacik had internships off site. Bobovnyik worked at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society's Arms Family Museum. She cataloged artifacts for the museum's new storage unit and learned to use the PastPerfect database system. She also assisted with researching and the setup of the new WKBN exhibit located in the Lowry A. Stewart Business and Media Archives Center.

Klacik worked at Congregation Rodef Sholom to complete the archives started in the spring by the Applied History's Practicum course. She organized and catalogued an extensive amount of archival material and create an archival system that can be used by Judaic Studies students, congregants, and anyone else interested in learning about the Congregation's history.

Both graduate assistant interns are returning to the museum this fall.

o Wuslich History Scholarship Intern Lukas McCoy scanned newspaper clippings from a large collection, as well as expanded the index for the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Bulletin, now available at www.Ohiomemory.org.

Volunteer News.....
o Retired lawyer and librarian, Mary Emery is adding book, pamphlet and magazine records to the online catalog, where they will be available to researchers and staff anytime, from anywhere.

o Retired electrical engineer, Val Yakimovich continues to organize blueprints from RG Steel (former Republic Warren plant) and Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. This work assisted America Makes with developing ways to interpret their “Steel Valley to Rust Belt to Tech Belt” story.

Exhibit Opening in October

The museum would like to announce the upcoming exhibit Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association: A Legacy of Dignity, Strength, and Caring, 1966 – 2018. The exhibit chronicles the history of the YGDNA, the first nurses’ union in Ohio and the second in the country from its inception over a wage dispute in 1966 to the hospital’s closing just three years ago. Opening ceremony is on Thursday, October 21 from 6-8 pm, (RSVP recommended). Funding and support from the YGDNA made this exhibit, and enabled us to hire an intern to organize, cataloge and store it possible.

Upgrades at the Museum

Roberta Hannay recently funded new casework for the Archives Library. These cases are a great improvement, making it easier to display exhibits and artifacts for the public.

New exhibits include: The Progression of Oral History; The Preservation of Media; The Challenges in Documentary Conservation; and The Preservation and Digitization of Glass Plate Negatives, created Susan Lowry, MA and Jonathan Cambouris, MA.

From the Archives

The archives library remains closed due to the pandemic. We are accepting reservations for researchers. Contact: centerofindustryandlabor@gmail.com for availability.

Rentals

Did you know that you can rent the museum for your next function?

Rental charges: Not-for-profit groups $75 per hour and for-profit groups $125 per hour. What do you get? Meshel Classroom, hire a caterer, bring in your food, or order pizza. We provide the tables, chairs, black table clothes (if desired or you can rent other colors), and a free guided tour of the museum. ½ hour set up and ½ hour clean up added to cost of rental (that means you need to pay for an extra hour to allow for set up and clean up). Easy access, free parking and on-street parking, hand-capped accessible.

SUPPORT THE FRIENDS OF THE YOUNGSTOWN HISTORICAL CENTER OF INDUSTRY AND LABOR

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Your supports helps sponsor key events and exhibits at the museum.

Friends of YHCIL Mission Statement: The Friends of the YHCIL supports the operation of the institute by facilitating fund development and promoting community awareness of its programs, activities and exhibits.

Friends of YHCIL Vision Statement: The Friends of YHCIL will provide support for its financial security and raise national and international awareness of the institution’s unique role in preserving and interpreting the Mahoning Valley’s contribution to our nation’s industrial heritage.